What makes our relationship with food so difficult throughout our lives – especially in times of change like puberty, pregnancy, perimenopause, and menopause?
Is it the cultural pressure to obtain and maintain the youthful, thin beauty ideal?
Is it the need to belong, be loved, and be successful?
As women, we wrap so much of our self-worth into how our body looks we tend to forget our psychological well-being in the process.
We’re asked to forget or ignore the fact that food and eating are rooted in emotions. They’re connected to memories and how we related to each other. And our relationship with food suffers because of it.
If you find yourself trying not to feel strong, unpleasant emotions (by eating the chips, cookies, cereal, or candy), this podcast episode will help you decode what’s really going on between you and food. It doesn’t have to be a love-hate relationship.
According to my guest Dr. Anita Johnston, “We don’t eat for emotional reasons, we eat because we don’t want to feel our emotions.”
Anita Johnston, Ph.D., is a depth psychologist, storyteller, and author of Eating in the Light of the Moon: How Women Can Transform Their Relationships with Food Through Myth, Metaphor, and Storytelling.
A pioneer in the field, Anita has been working with women and eating difficulties for over thirty-five years.
In this Savor Food and Body Podcast episode, we talk about…
- What makes the struggle with food and body so difficult for women in midlife
- How feminine energy is connected to intuition and instinct
- How the focus on weight can distract women from honoring their true hungers (physical and soul)
- How food habits and sexual desire are related
- Examples of how to use metaphors to decode your relationship with food and your body.
- We wrap up with 3 practices you can use to understand your relationship with food and your body on a deeper level
Anita currently, serves as Executive Director of ‘Ai Pono Hawaii Eating Disorders Programs which has a Residential Program in Maui.
She is the co-creator of the Light of the Moon Café, an online resource with interactive and self-study courses for women around the world.
A recognized speaker at professional conferences globally, Dr. Johnston also provides virtual individual consultations. She is best known for integrating metaphors and stories into her work as a clinical psychologist to explain the complex issues that underlie struggles with food, exercise, and body image.
Resources
Learn more about Anita’s work on her website and the Light of The Moon Cafe website.
Get a copy of Eating In The Light of The Moon
Follow Anita on Facebook and Instagram @dranitajohnston and @lightofthemooncafe
Learn more about eating disorder recovery treat at Ai Pono on their website and on Facebook and Instagram @aiponohawaii
What type of eater are you? Take the intuitive eating quiz to find out!
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